Feb.27,2014, Dr. Natale ablated me for Persistent AFIB. 1 year later, I am still AFIB free. I do have some "extra beats" especially when my Anxiety is running high but NO AFIB.

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL on this forum who steered me in the right direction.

ALSO my 4th grandchild was born Feb. 17. Her name is Amelia. She is a beautiful baby.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2015 10:44PM by smackman.

Congratulations on your anniversary, Smackman! I have been in NSR since Sept. of 2013, so I know the good feeling

I told Shannon yesterday how thankful I am also, for first finding this Board, and then having all of the support and amazing amount of helpful knowledge on here. I can't even imagine where I would be if it weren't for this Board...it can be very lonely going through episode after episode and the people around you say things like, "well, what does it FEEL like?", "Yeah, I get some palpitations sometimes too", etc. when they really just don't realize at all how awful this can be....Having 'fellow Afibbers" who DO get it as well as brilliant posters to help us through this is a GIFT.

May you - and all of us - have many, many blissful years of NSR!


Congrats ~ Barb

When I first noticed the PVC's in Dec. 2014, It scared me big time. I have trouble with Anxiety especially in the winter months so IF I had any before this, I just ignored them.

I called my nurse educator and she assured me that the PVC's were benign and nothing to worry about. Now that is easier said than done IMO but I have come to the realization to accept them for what they are that being benign.

IF/When I get my Anxiety "back in check" I will handle these PVC's better which I already do. When I feel one, I do not dwell on it and let it pass. I believe my PVC's are caused by my Anxiety. My Anxiety issues go back many years.

Congrats Smackman & Barb! I'm hoping to follow in your footsteps with prolonged NSR!

Best wishes.

Ken

Great to hear Smackman!

It hardly seems like a year on one hand, and yet even longer on the other. I recall watching your procedure live at St Davids from their video conference amphitheater there during the EP Live 2014 two day training conference that a couple hundred EPs from all over flew in for and I was able to attend as well. Your's was the very first LINQ install and I got recruited to give a short Austin TV interview on the value of the device having just gotten a run down on the features about 1 minute before stepping in from of the camera and winging it :-).

In any event, your signing up for participating in that conference as one of the live patient cases being shown, allowed you to jump way ahead in the schedule and get your procedure much sooner than otherwise would have been the case, so it was a bonus for you all around.

Anyway, its great to see a year of NSR after arriving in persistent AFIB of unknown, but significant duration. its the overwhelming number of cases who visit us here, not unlike yours, that choose to go to that maestro ablationists hands and have such similar high quality results time and again that inspires such easy and enthusiastic confidence in our recommendations. Its very hard to argue with such a huge volume of success over such a long period.

Best wishes for another 10 years of freedom, even though Dr N said there could always be a chance you might need a full touch up to complete an LAA-isolation at some point. The full year now of NSR is a good sign you likely have a good long path of clear sailing ahead.

Shannon

Hi Smackman,

I'll add my congratulations as well. You and I had our ablations done on the same day. I too have been afib free this past year and ever so grateful. My HR is still high, usually around 84bpm, and I have some runs of PVC on occasion, but am so delighted to be free of the terrible afib symptoms. When I had an attack, I would be near fainting, and my arms and legs would go weak and I would have to stay on the sofa for around 12 hours before being able to get up and slowly get back to doing any activities.

Hope your anxiety settles down so you can enjoy the rest of the winter.

Many blessings to you and a prayer for your continued NSR.

Nancy M

Hi David - Hard to believe a year has passed and I'm glad you were able to see Dr. Natale.

I'm certainly hoping that with more time, your anxiety issues will fade into oblivion and your heart will become PVC free.

Best to you,
Jackie

David:

I'm relatively new here so I wasn't around when your ablation journey began but I'm happy to hear your success nonetheless. Congrats and I wish you continued NSR for many years to come!

Travis

Happy anniversary Smackman.
Wish you many years of NSR ahead.

Duke